U.S. patent application number 09/925682 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-14 for picture adjustment method and apparatus for video display appliance.
Invention is credited to Kim, Byung Han.
Application Number | 20020018069 09/925682 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19682845 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020018069 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Byung Han |
February 14, 2002 |
Picture adjustment method and apparatus for video display
appliance
Abstract
Disclosed are a picture adjustment method and apparatus for a
video display appliance that can prevent an unskillful user from
deteriorating a picture display state due to misadjustment of
picture adjustment menus that cannot be easily adjusted and
retrieved to the original state among a plurality of picture
adjustment menus. According to the method and apparatus, a
specified user selects and determines whether a plurality of
picture adjustment OSDs, each of which includes a small number of
picture adjustment menus, are accessible. A command for picture
adjustment inputted through the picture adjustment OSDs that have
been determined to be accessible only is processed to be effective,
but a command for picture adjustment inputted through the picture
adjustment OSDs that have been determined to be unaccessible is
ignored. Thus, the misadjustment of the picture adjustment menus by
an unskillful user can be prevented.
Inventors: |
Kim, Byung Han; (Kumi,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JACOBSON HOLMAN PLLC
400 SEVENTH STREET N.W.
SUITE 600
WASHINGTON
DC
20004
US
|
Family ID: |
19682845 |
Appl. No.: |
09/925682 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/581 ;
348/E5.102; 348/E5.105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4854 20130101;
H04N 21/47 20130101; H04N 21/42228 20130101; H04N 21/42204
20130101; G09G 5/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/581 |
International
Class: |
G09G 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 11, 2000 |
KR |
2000-46630 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A picuture adjustment method for a video display appliance for
providing diverse picture adjustment functions through a plurality
of picture adjustment OSDs, the method comprising the steps of: (a)
selecting and determining accessible picture adjustment OSDs; (b)
if entry into a picture adjustment process is commanded after the
determination of the accessible picture adjustment OSDs, displaying
the accessible picture adjustment OSDs; (c) if a command for
picture adjustment is inputted through any one of the displayed
picture adjustment OSDs, checking whether the corresponding picture
adjustment OSD is accessible; (d) performing the picture adjustment
in accordance with the inputted command for picture adjustment if
it is checked that the corresponding picture adjustment OSD is
accessible; and (e) ignoring the inputted command for picture
adjustment if it is checked that the corresponding picture
adjustment OSD is not accessible.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (c) comprises the
sub-steps of: searching whether or not a command for entry into the
picture adjustment process is inputted after the determination of
the accessible picture adjustment OSDs; and displaying a plurality
of picture adjustment OSDs in colors corresponding to the
pre-determined accessibility if the command for entry into the
picture adjustment process is inputted.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (c) comprises the
sub-steps: displaying any one of the plurality of picture
adjustment OSDs if a command for entry into a picture adjustment
process is inputted by the user; and displaying the corresponding
picture adjustment OSD if the user requests display of another
picture adjustment OSD while displaying the picture adjustment
OSD.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the picture adjustment OSDs are
displayed in respective colors corresponding to the pre-determined
accessibility.
5. A picture adjustment apparatus for a video display appliance for
providing diverse picture adjustment functions through a plurality
of picture adjustment OSDs, comprising: a key manipulation section
for receiving information an accessible picture adjustment OSDs
from a user; a memory for storing information on the accessible
picture adjustment OSDs; a display section for displaying various
kinds of information; an OSD output processing section for
displaying an OSD according to OSD data on the display section; and
a control section for providing the OSD output processing section
with the OSD data for displaying the picture adjustment OSDs after
receiving and storing the information on the accessible picture
adjustment OSDs, and processing as an effective command only the
command for picture adjustment inputted through the picture
adjustment OSD that has been determined to be accessible.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control section displays
the picture adjustment OSDs in respective colors corresponding to
the pre-determined accessibility.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control section enters
into a menu for determining whether the picture adjustment is
accessible, if a power source of the video display appliance is
turned on with simultaneous input of predetermined two or more
keys, determining whether each of the picture adjustment OSDs are
accessible in accordance with the information on selection of the
accessible picture adjustment OSDs inputted by the user, and
storing the information in the memory.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a video display
appliance, and more particularly, to a picture adjustment method
and apparatus for a video display appliance.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In general, a video display appliance such a monitor has a
picture adjustment function, with which a user can adjust the
brightness, contrast or size of the screen.
[0005] The following is a description of a conventional picture
adjustment apparatus for a video display appliance made with
reference to FIG. 1. A control section 10 of the video display
appliance controls the whole operation of the video display
appliance, and processes a user's command inputted through a key
manipulation section 20. The control section 10 also performs the
picture adjustment in accordance with the user's command, and
provides an on-screen display (OSD) output processing section 30
with OSD data representing the picture adjustment state or result.
The OSD output processing section 30 displays the OSD according to
the OSD data provided from the control section 10 on a display
section 40. The key manipulation section 20 includes a plurality of
keys and interfaces the user and the control section 10.
[0006] The operation of the conventional picture adjustment
apparatus as constructed above will now be explained. When a user
desires picture adjustment, he/she provides the control section 10
with a command for entering a picture adjustment process by means
of the key manipulation section 20. In accordance with the command,
the control section 10 displays a picture adjustment OSD on the
screen of the display section 40. FIG. 2 shows an example of the
picture adjustment OSD. The picture adjustment OSD includes a
variety of menus that can control the brightness, contrast, size,
shape, etc. of the picture. The user can command various kinds of
picture adjustment through those menus.
[0007] The control section 10 performs the picture adjustment by
receiving a picture adjustment command through the picture
adjustment OSD, and displays the result of picture adjustment on
the picture adjustment menu. Thus, the user can easily confirm the
picture adjustment state and the result thereof.
[0008] However, the picture adjustment OSD includes a number of
picture adjustment menus that are quite difficult to adjust. For
instance, it is not only difficult to adjust the shape of the
screen, colors, OSD language, removing of wave patterns or color
bleeding but also difficult to return them to their original
state.
[0009] As described above, the conventional apparatus for adjusting
the picture of a video display appliance puts the burden of
adjusting such difficult picture adjustment menus on the user, and
this poses the problems of deteriorating the picture display state
due to misadjustment of the picture adjustment menus by an
unskillful user or a child, as well as of disabling restoration of
the picture display state to the original state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
provide a picture adjustment method and apparatus for a video
display appliance capable of improving the reliability of the
product by preventing unskillful users from accessing the picture
adjustment menus that are difficult to be adjusted and retrieved to
the original states.
[0011] To achieve the above object, there is provided a picture
adjustment method for a video display appliance, comprising the
steps of: selecting and determining accessible picture adjustment
OSDs; if entry into a picture adjustment process is commanded after
the determination of the accessible picture adjustment OSDs,
displaying the accessible picture adjustment OSDs; if a command for
picture adjustment is inputted through any one of the displayed
picture adjustment OSDs, checking whether the corresponding picture
adjustment OSD is accessible; performing the picture adjustment in
accordance with the inputted command for picture adjustment if it
is checked that the corresponding picture adjustment OSD is
accessible; and ignoring the inputted command for picture
adjustment if it is checked that the corresponding picture
adjustment OSD is not accessible.
[0012] In another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a picture adjustment apparatus for a video display
appliance, comprising: a key manipulation section for receiving
information on accessible picture adjustment OSDs from a user; a
memory for storing information on the accessible picture adjustment
OSDs; a display section for displaying various kinds of
information; an OSD output processing section for displaying an OSD
according to OSD data on the display section; and a control section
for providing the OSD output processing section with the OSD data
for displaying the picture adjustment OSDs after receiving and
storing the information on the accessible picture adjustment OSDs,
and processing as an effective command only the command for picture
adjustment inputted through the picture adjustment OSD that has
been determined to be accessible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic
construction of a conventional picture adjustment apparatus for a
video display appliance;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a picture adjustment menu
displayed according to the conventional picture adjustment
apparatus;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic
construction of a picture adjustment apparatus for a video display
appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts illustrating a picture
adjustment method for a video display appliance according to the
present invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 6 and 7 are views illustrating picture adjustment
menus displayed according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, well-known functions or constructions
are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention
in unnecessary detail.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic
construction of a picture adjustment apparatus for a video display
appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 3, a control section 100 controls the
whole operation of the video display appliance according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, and processes a
user's command inputted through a key manipulation section 102. The
control section 100 provides an OSD output processing section 104
with OSD data for displaying a plurality of picture adjustment OSDs
in accordance with the user's command. Each of the picture
adjustment OSDs includes a plurality of picture adjustment menus.
The control section 100 can display each one of the picture
adjustment OSDs in turn in accordance with the user's command.
[0021] The control section 100 blocks another user's access to the
picture adjustment OSDs that have been selected by a specified
user. Here, the specified user refers to a user or managing staff
who is capable of easily adjusting picture adjustment menus that
are fairly difficult to be adjusted. The specified user may command
entry into a menu for determining whether the picture adjustment is
accessible. Input of such command may be turning on a power source
of the video display appliance in a state that two or more
predetermined keys are simultaneously inputted.
[0022] Once the picture adjustment is determined to be accessible,
the control section 100 displays the picture adjustment OSD
determined to be accessible in a black color representing an active
state, while displaying the picture adjustment OSD determined not
to be accessible in a gray color representing an inactive state. By
doing so, the user can easily discriminate the accessible picture
adjustment menus from the accessible picture adjustment menus.
[0023] The OSD output processing section 104 displays the OSD
according to the OSD data provided from the control section 100 on
a display section 106. A memory 108 stores various kinds of
information, and in particular, information on the accessible
picture adjustment OSDs under the control of the control section
100.
[0024] The operation of the picture adjustment apparatus according
to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0025] The process of determining the accessible picture adjustment
OSDs by the control section 100 will first be described with
reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. The specified user can
command entry into the menu for determining the accessibility of
the picture adjustment by turning on the power source of the video
display appliance in a state that two or more predetermined keys
are simultaneously inputted among the keys of the key manipulation
section 102. Once the specified user commands entry into the menu
for determining the accessibility of the picture adjustment (step
200), the control section 100 displays any one of the plurality of
picture adjustment OSDs on a display section 106 (step 202). If the
specified user requests the display of another picture adjustment
OSD through the key manipulation section 102 after displaying the
picture adjustment OSD as described above (step 204), the control
section 100 displays the picture adjustment OSD requested by the
specified user (step 206). The picture adjustment OSDs to be
displayed are brightness, contrast, colors, position and shape of
the screen, language determination, special functions, etc.
[0026] If the specified user inputs information on selecting the
accessible picture adjustment while the picture adjustment OSD is
displayed (step 208), the control section 100 determines whether
the corresponding picture adjustment OSD is accessible in
accordance with the selected information (step 210). The control
section 100 stores the determined information in the memory 108 so
as to be used whenever displaying the picture adjustment OSD.
[0027] Thereafter, the control section 100 searches whether or not
the specified user commands termination of the determination of the
picture adjustment accessibility by means of the key manipulation
section 102 (step 212). The control section 100 continuously
performs the determination of the accessible picture adjustment
OSDs until the command for termination is received.
[0028] Here, when selecting the accessible picture adjustment OSD,
the specified user determines the picture adjustment OSD including
the picture adjustment menus such as brightness, contrast, position
of the screen, size of the screen, which are easily retrievable to
the original state through manipulation by an unskillful user, to
be accessible. The specified user determines the picture adjustment
OSD including the picture adjustment menus such as shape of the
screen, colors, OSD language, removing of wave patterns or color
bleeding, which are not easily reset to the original state through
manipulation by an unskillful user, to be unaccessible. Of course,
the picture adjustment OSD that has been determined to be
accessible can be re-determined to be accessible if necessary.
[0029] As described above, once the accessibility of the picture
adjustment OSD is determined, the specified user or other users
(hereinafter, referred to the "user") can perform the picture
adjustment by using the picture adjustment OSD that has been
determined to be accessible.
[0030] The process of picture adjustment performed by the control
section 100 will now be explained with reference to the flowchart
of FIG. 5. The user may command the picture adjustment by means of
the key manipulation section 102. If the user commands the picture
adjustment (step 300), the control section 100 displays any one of
the plurality of picture adjustment OSDs on the display section 106
(step 302). In particular, the control section 100 displays the
picture adjustment OSD with a color corresponding to the
pre-determined accessibility of picture adjustment. Thereafter, if
the user requests a display of another picture adjustment OSD
through the key manipulation section 102 after display of the
picture adjustment OSD as described above (step 304), the control
section 100 displays the requested picture adjustment OSD (step
306). The picture adjustment OSDs that can be displayed are
brightness, contrast, colors, position and shape of the screen, OSD
language, special functions, etc. as shown in FIG. 7. Each picture
adjustment OSD is displayed either in black color or in gray color
depending on the pre-determined accessibility of picture
adjustment. That is, the shape of the screen, colors, OSD language,
removing wave patterns or color bleeding, which have been
determined to be unaccessible, are displayed in gray color, while
the other picture adjustment OSDs are displayed in black color. The
control section 100 ignores the command for picture adjustment made
through the picture adjustment OSD displayed in gray color to
prevent misadjustment of the picture adjustment menus, which are
not easily reset to the original state, by an unskillful user.
[0031] After displaying the picture adjustment OSD as described
above, the control section 100 searches whether or not the user
inputs a command for picture adjustment through the key
manipulation section 102 (step 308). If the user commands the
picture adjustment, the control section 100 searches whether or not
the corresponding picture adjustment OSD has been determined to be
accessible (step 310). The control section performs the picture
adjustment in accordance with the command for picture adjustment if
the corresponding picture adjustment OSD has been determined to be
accessible (step 312). Otherwise, the control section 100 ignores
the command for picture adjustment.
[0032] After performing the picture adjustment in accordance with
the command for picture adjustment, the control section 100
searches whether or not the user commands termination of the
picture adjustment through the key manipulation section 102 [step
314]. The control section 100 performs the picture adjustment
requested by the user until the user commands the termination of
the picture adjustment.
[0033] As described above, the present invention has an advantage
in that it can improve the reliability of the product by preventing
unskillful users from accessing picture adjustment menus that are
not easily adjusted and retrieved.
[0034] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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